| 1 | A bill to be entitled |
| 2 | An act relating to fair housing; amending s. 760.35, |
| 3 | F.S.; providing that an aggrieved person may file a |
| 4 | civil action without first filing an administrative |
| 5 | complaint for a discriminatory housing practice; |
| 6 | providing that, if the Florida Commission on Human |
| 7 | Relations or local agency has obtained a conciliation |
| 8 | agreement with the consent of the aggrieved person, |
| 9 | the filing of a civil action is prohibited, except to |
| 10 | enforce the terms of the agreement; providing an |
| 11 | effective date. |
| 12 |
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| 13 | Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: |
| 14 |
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| 15 | Section 1. Subsection (4) is added to section 760.35, |
| 16 | Florida Statutes, to read: |
| 17 | 760.35 Civil actions and relief; administrative |
| 18 | procedures.- |
| 19 | (4) An aggrieved person may commence a civil action under |
| 20 | this section whether or not a complaint has been filed under s. |
| 21 | 760.34 and without regard to the status of that complaint. |
| 22 | However, if the commission or local agency has obtained a |
| 23 | conciliation agreement with the consent of an aggrieved person, |
| 24 | an action may not be filed under this section by the aggrieved |
| 25 | person with respect to the alleged discriminatory housing |
| 26 | practice that forms the basis for the complaint except for the |
| 27 | purpose of enforcing the terms of that agreement. |
| 28 | Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2012. |